Does work integrated learning better psychologically prepare British students for life and work.

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University of Huddersfield Repository

Purdie, Fiona, Ward, Lisa J, McAdie, Tina M. and King, Nigel

Original Citation

Purdie, Fiona, Ward, Lisa J, McAdie, Tina M. and King, Nigel (2011) Does work integrated learning better psychologically prepare British students for life and work. In: Association for Sandwich Education and Training (ASET) Annual Conference 2011, September, 2011, Leeds Metropolitan University. (Submitted)

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Does work integrated learning

better psychologically prepare

British students for life and work?

Lisa Ward

Fiona Purdie

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Today’s presentation

•

Background to the study

– Joining the international work integrated learning project

– Placements at the University of Huddersfield

– What we know from the literature about the psychological effect of WIL

•

Methodology

– Design

– Measures

– Sample

•

Results

– Does WIL influence students psychologically and in what way?

•

Implications

– For the academic community

– For the University of Huddersfield

– For HEIs nationally and internationally

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An international study…

• Originated at the University of Waterloo (Canada)

• Definition: Co-operative Education, Placements, internships

• The largest Co-operative Education Provider in Canada with

15,000 students.

• WatCACE

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An international study…

Project Partners:

• Assoc Prof Maureen Drysdale, University of Waterloo, Canada

• Dr Kristina Johansen, University West, Sweden,

• Dr Sheri Dressler, University of Central Florida, USA

• Elena Zaitseva, Liverpool John Moores, UK

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Placements at the

University of Huddersfield

• 25,000 students

• 2011 fee ‘free’ placements, from 2012 - £500

• Sandwich Degrees

• Professional Placements

• Big Society Volunteering

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The Background

Graduate employment challenges:

Record numbers of graduates in the UK

(Chevalier & Lindley, 2009)

Increasing difficulty in securing employment post-university

(Browne, 2010)

Higher expectations as a result of tuition fee reforms

(Browne, 2010)

Higher expectations as a result of tuition fee reforms

(Browne, 2010)

Result:

A challenge to design programs better equipped to enable students

to acquire the skills, knowledge & experience that increase

employability & lead to more satisfying careers.

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The documented benefits of

Work Integrated Learning

Occupational/academic benefits

(Powell et al., 2008; Bates, 2008):

Better careers

Better salaries

Better degree outcomes

Specific competencies:

(Costley, 2007; Crebert et al., 2002, Dreuth & Deuth-Fewell, 2002; Lizzio & Wilson, 2004; Rickard, 2002)

Decision making

Interpersonal and self-management skills

The application of theoretical knowledge in workplace environments

Professional networking and behaviour

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The documented benefits of

Work Integrated Learning

Psychological factors:

A more positive view of chance of gaining employment

over specific competencies or occupational advantage

(Allen & van der Velden, 2007).

Self esteem

(Crebert

et al

., 2002)

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Research question

Do students who pursue WIL have

significantly higher concept,

self-efficacy, hope, and motivation for study,

efficacy, hope, and motivation for study,

and significantly lower procrastination,

compared to students who pursue a more

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Questions

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Sample

• Self selected sample of undergraduate students, from all

academic schools at the University of Huddersfield, UK

(n=621)

• Placement: 33.3%/ non placement: 66.7%

• Males: 25% / Females: 75% (significantly more females

undertake placements)

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Percentage of students per school,

by placement participation

13.9% 10.8%

13.4% _{Applied sciences placement}

Applied sciences no placement Art, Design & Architecture placement Art, Design & Architecture no placement Business placement Business no placement 14.4% 30.9% 13.1% 3.6% Business no placement

Computing & engineering placement Computing & engineering no placement

Education & professional development placement Education & professional development no placement Human & health sciences placement

Human & health sciences no placement Music humanities & media placement Music humanities & media no placement

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Placement

33%

67%

Current part time work

38%

62%

Voluntary work 29%

Proportion of students undertaking

work related activity

67%

Internship

96%

4% Relevant previous work

15% 85% 62% 71% Experiential learning 91% 9%

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Design

• Cross-sectional analysis

• Measures, demographic and educational data were collected

from participants at the end of their academic year.

• Chosen to accommodate the varied placement programmes

available at the University of Huddersfield

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Measures

Trait Hope Scale (THS: Snyder et al., 1991), which measures hopes and goals

Procrastination Assessment Scale – Students (PASS: Solomon & Rothblum, 1984), which measures the postponement of goals and tasks.

Self-Description Questionnaire III (SDQ-III: Marsh & O’Neill, 1984)., which measures a set of learned perceptions, beliefs and opinions that individuals hold about themselves.

learned perceptions, beliefs and opinions that individuals hold about themselves.

College Academic Self-Efficacy Scale(CASES: Owen & Froman, 1988), which measures the degree of competence participants believe they have in various academic settings.

Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ: Pintrich et al., 1993), which assesses motivation and learning strategies by University students.

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Questions

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Academic achievement reported by

placement and non-placement students

51% 50% 41% 33% 40% 50% 60% 16% 26% 6% 0% 18% 23% 9% 1% 12% 33% 8% 6% 0% 10% 20% 30%

70%+/ 1st class 60-69%/ 2:1 class 50-59%/ 2:2 class 40-49%/ 3rd Class <40% / fail No placement Placemnent Official figures for UoH 09/10 year

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Mean results by

placement participation

t=1.70 p<0.05 t=2.36 p<0.01 t=1.89 p<0.05

MSLQ subscale: Test anxiety Trait hope (THS) THS subscale: agency

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Theoretical implications

• Our findings suggest that cognitions & emotions are most affected by WIL

• Findings are consistent with previous evidence to suggest that an

improvement in confidence is a key outcome of WIL (Cope, 2000; Ward,

2009).

• Lack of significant differences in measures relating to learning behaviours,

e.g. procrastination, learning strategies, or in academic achievement were

found, contrary to existing literature (Powell

et al

., 2008).

Why might this be?

The specificity of the experiential differences

between placement and non-placement students.

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Practical implications

For the University of Huddersfield and beyond

• Models of graduate employability suggest that

self-confidence and self esteem are key facilitators of later

employment (Dacre Pool & Sewell 2007).

• Changes in HE landscape with higher fees from 2012

–

Will two year degrees become the norm?

–

How can work related elements be better integrated into courses?

–

Will student stake on even more part-time jobs to pay for education?

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Limitations and

directions for future research

• Main limitation: the use of a cross-sectional design.

• Precluded understanding whether differences are a

result of WIL or whether students who participate in WIL

are different prior to commencing placement.

• Future studies employing a pre-post design are indicated

• Longitudinal studies documenting occupational

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Next Steps

• Secured funding for qualitative research. ‘The more the

merrier?: a qualitative examination of the contribution of

multiple work integrated learning experiences to student

learning, personal development and preparation for

employment.’

• Looking for ongoing collaborations with our research

partners.

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Conclusion

Our findings suggest that work integrated learning has a much more

wide reaching influence than simply moulding better students.

It’s effect is one of a more hopeful and confident adult, better

equipped emotionally to face the challenges of the employment

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Up Coming Presentations

• Impact Upon Teaching and Learning –

University of Huddersfield,

Teaching and Learning Committee, September.

• ‘In the right placement at the right time? An investigation of the

psychological outcomes of placement learning’

International Conference

psychological outcomes of placement learning’

International Conference

on Education and Educational Psychology (ICEEPSY 2011), Istanbul,

October.

• ‘Learning beyond the lecture room: Do placements help students learn

about themselves and for themselves?’

Psychology of Education

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Questions

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Thank you for your time

and attention

Contact:

Lisa Ward, University of Huddersfield

[email protected]

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful to Maureen Drysdale and colleagues at the

University of Waterloo, Canada for the contribution of their

research design and for our inclusion in the international Work

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References

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Bates, M. (2008). Work-integrated curricula in university programs. Higher Education Research and Development, 27(4), 305-317.

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